Ani-Men#Original Ani-Men
{{short description|Marvel comic books}}
{{Infobox comics organization
|image=Uncanny95.jpg
|imagesize=
|caption=The cover to X-Men #95, featuring the original Ani-Men fighting the X-Men. Art by Gil Kane and Dave Cockrum.
|publisher=Marvel Comics
|debut=Daredevil #10 (October, 1965)
|creators=Wally Wood
Bob Powell
|base=
|members=Ape-Man
Bird-Man
Cat-Man
Dragonfly
Frog-Man
|cat= teams
|subcat=Marvel Comics
|hero=
|villain=y
|sortkey=Ani-Men
}}
The Ani-Men is the name of several fictional teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Four of them are villain groups, while one of them was introduced as a team of agents serving the High Evolutionary.
Publication history
The first Ani-Men debuted in Daredevil #10 (October, 1965) and were created by Wally Wood (writer, co-artist) and Bob Powell (co-artist).{{cite book |last=Rovin |first=Jeff |title=The Encyclopedia of Super-Villains |date=1987 |publisher=Facts on File |isbn=0-8160-1356-X |location=New York |page=385 |authorlink=Jeff Rovin}}[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofsu0000rovi_h5r9/page/384/mode/2up]{{Cite web |last=Stone |first=Sam |date=April 1, 2021 |title=Carnage Just Butchered the Daredevil and the X-Men's Forgotten Rivals |url=https://www.cbr.com/carnage-ani-men-battle/ |access-date=March 21, 2025 |website=CBR |language=en}}
The second Ani-Men debuted in Daredevil #157 (March, 1979) and were created by Roger McKenzie (co-writer), Jo Duffy (co-writer), Gene Colan (artist), and Klaus Janson (inker).
The third Ani-Men debuted in Scarlet Spider Unlimited #1 (November, 1995) and were created by Glenn Herdling (writer), Todd Smith (artist), and John Nyberg (inker).
The fourth Ani-Men debuted in Code of Honor #3 (April, 1997) and were created by Chuck Dixon (writer), Bob Wakelin (co-artist), and Dærick Gröss Sr. (co-artist).
The fifth Ani-Men debuted in GLA #1 (June 2005) and were created by Dan Slott (writer) and Paul Pelletier (artist).
Fictional team history
=Original Ani-Men=
The original lineup of the Ani-Men (consisting of Ape-Man, Bird-Man, Cat-Man and Frog-Man) are recruited by a man calling himself the Organizer, who gives them costumes themed after their codenames.{{Cite web |last=Lovett |first=Jamie |date=May 9, 2023 |title=Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Includes Deep-Cut Easter Eggs for High Evolutionary |url=https://comicbook.com/movies/news/guardians-of-the-galaxy-3-easter-eggs-high-evolutionary-xeronians-animen/ |access-date=March 21, 2025 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Jenna |date=May 8, 2023 |title=Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Confirms the High Evolutionary Created Other Major Characters |url=https://comicbook.com/movies/news/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-high-evolutionary-created-animen-xeronians/ |access-date=March 21, 2025 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en-US}} The Organizer is secretly Abner Jonas, a candidate running to become mayor of New York City, and sends the Ani-Men to undermine the standing of the current administration. Daredevil defeats them and the Ani-Men and the Organizer are all imprisoned.Daredevil #10-11 (October - December 1965)
Some time after that, Count Nefaria subjects Ape-Man, Bird-Man, Cat-Man, Frog-Man, and Dragonfly to a process that transforms them into superpowered animal hybrids.X-Men #94-95 (August - October 1975){{Cite web |last=Brooks |first=Nicholas |date=May 14, 2023 |title=The Ani-Men Fought in the X-Men's Most Tragic Battle |url=https://www.cbr.com/guardians-of-the-galaxy-ani-men-x-men-thunderbird-death/ |access-date=March 21, 2025 |website=CBR |language=en}} They later return to their human forms before being killed by a bomb that Spymaster intended to use to kill Iron Man.Iron Man #115 (October 1978){{clear}}
=Death-Stalker's Ani-Men=
The Death-Stalker recruits a new team of Ani-Men and gives them the costumes of the original Ani-Men members. He sends the new Ani-Men to capture Daredevil. Black Widow defeats Bird-Man, and the Death-Stalker kills Ape-Man and Cat-Man upon the completion of their mission.Daredevil #157 - 158 (March - May 1979) Bird-Man survives, but is later killed by the Scourge of the Underworld.Captain America #319 (July 1986)
=High Evolutionary's Ani-Men=
The third incarnation of the Ani-Men are a group of evolved animals created by the High Evolutionary.{{Cite web |last=Allan |first=Scoot |date=May 7, 2023 |title=8 Subtle Details Only Comic Nerds Caught In Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 |url=https://www.cbr.com/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-subtle-details-comic-nerds-gotg-3/ |access-date=March 21, 2025 |website=CBR |language=en}} They consist of Buzzard (an evolved hawk), Crushtacean (an evolved crab), Flying Fox (an evolved bat), Komodo (an evolved Komodo dragon), and Spinneret (an evolved spider).Scarlet Spider Unlimited #1 (November 1995)
=Hammerhead's Ani-Men=
During the Secret Wars storyline, a new version of the Ani-Men (consisting of Ape-Man, Bird-Man, and Frog Man) commit crimes while the heroes are on Battleworld. They obtain the equipment of the original Ani-Men and use it to rob a vault wagon, only to be opposed by the NYPD.Code of Honor #3 (April 1997)
=Independent Ani-Men=
This Ani-Men assemblage has no known connection to any prior incarnations or any info on their history except for the fact that they resemble humanoid versions of the animals they represent. This group consists of Giraffe-Man (a humanoid giraffe), Great Horned Owl-Man (a humanoid owl), Pig-Man (a humanoid pig), and Rabbit-Woman (a humanoid rabbit).Great Lakes Avengers #1 (June 2005)
= Sixth Ani-Men =
A sixth incarnation of the Ani-Men appears in Carnage: Black, White & Blood, where they are killed by the Carnage symbiote. The group consists of Elephant Man, Giraffe Man, and Boar-Man.
Other versions
=Earth X=
An original incarnation of the Ani-Men appear in Earth X. These versions are animals from a Wakandan preserve who Black Panther accidentally mutated into anthropomorphic forms using the Cosmic Cube. After the Wendigo attacks Wakanda, Black Panther brings the Ani-Men to live in the Savage Land.Earth X #4 (July 1999)Universe X #10 (July 2001)Universe X: Beasts one-shot (June 2001)
=Ultimate Marvel=
An alternate universe incarnation of the Ani-Men from Earth-1610 appear in the Ultimate Marvel universe.Ultimate Fantastic Four #3 (April 2004)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://marvel.com/universe/Ani-Men_(disambiguation) Ani-Men (disambiguation)] at Marvel.com
- [http://marvel.com/universe/Ani-Men_(Maggia) Ani-Men I] at Marvel.com
- {{Marvunapp|http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix5/animendd.htm|Ani-Men I}}
- {{Marvunapp|http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix5/animends.htm|Ani-Men II}}
- {{Marvunapp|http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix2/animenspider.htm|High Evolutionary's Ani-Men}}
- {{Marvunapp|http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/animenglaav.htm|Ani-Men - GLA foes}}
- {{Marvunapp|http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/animencwwc.htm|Hammerhead's Ani-Men}}
- [https://comicvine.gamespot.com/ani-men/65-2508/ Ani-Men] at Comic Vine
{{Daredevil}}
{{Iron Man}}
{{X-Men characters}}
Category:Characters created by Chuck Dixon
Category:Characters created by Dan Slott
Category:Characters created by Gene Colan
Category:Characters created by Roger McKenzie
Category:Characters created by Wally Wood
Category:Comics characters introduced in 1965
Category:Comics characters introduced in 1979
Category:Comics characters introduced in 1995
Category:Comics characters introduced in 1997
Category:Comics characters introduced in 2005